How is a Dental Inlay Used by Your Dentist?

Modern dentistry has come a long way in terms of treatments and tooth maintenance, and a dental inlay is one of them. An inlay will be used by a dentist to repair a damaged tooth that cannot be remedied by basic measures. Inlays can be used to restore a tooth where the original cavity filling is gone or where the tooth is too rotten to repair with a filling.

A dental inlay will be used to repair a large cavity that is too big for an ordinary filling procedure. Your dentist will get a molding of your teeth so that they can pre-form the inlay to be installed. The dentist will then make your inlay out of gold, ceramic, or composite material capable of withstanding heavy use.

The difference between an inlay and an onlay

The process of forming both an inlay and an onlay is the same, but the application is where the two differ. A dental inlay is used to repair cavities or holes within the interior of your teeth, whereas an onlay is used when the damage spreads to the cusp or biting surface of the tooth.

For both an inlay and an onlay, the dentist will drill into the tooth itself to clean and prepare the area for repair. Before doing this, the dentist will graciously numb the area to ensure that you aren’t in pain during the procedure. In the case of both an inlay and an onlay, the dentist will give you a temporary filling to keep you out of pain while eating and brushing your teeth until the permanent filling is complete.

Instances when dentists use an inlay to repair your teeth

Broken, fractured, or damaged teeth that haven’t affected the surface area of your teeth:

If the damage hasn’t spread to the biting portion of your tooth, an inlay will be sufficient to fix the problem without needing a more extensive onlay fix. Outside of cavities resulting from dietary problems, inlays can be used to repair broken or fractured teeth if the damage is internal and not external.

When the damage is extensive enough that it would weaken the rest of your tooth if a normal filling were used:

Depending on how damaged your tooth is, a normal cavity filling might not provide enough support for the rest of the undamaged tooth. An inlay provides a stronger and more permanent fix and support system for your tooth.  

The level of damage to your tooth won’t let you remove enough material to mount a crown in the future:

Your tooth may be more damaged than appears on the surface. When this is the case, a dentist may need to do more than just fill whatever cavity is damaged. They may have to remove more of your tooth if it is rotting or weakened to the point of possibly breaking apart. If the dentist determines that your tooth is too weak to support a crown or filling, then an inlay will be used to properly fix your tooth.

Request an appointment here: https://metrosmiles.com or call Metro Smiles Dental at (718) 841-9591 for an appointment in our Forest Hills office.

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